Minority boycotts Parliament

Ghana's Parliament suffered a major set back as the NDC minority group announced Tuesday May 15 a week's boycott of all Parliamentary work with immediate effect, in protest of the detention of the member for Ningo-Prampram, Hon. E.T. Mensah.

The action, the NDC Minority says is a demonstration of its outrage towards what it calls the violation of the rights of Hon. Mensah and "the affront to the dignity of Parliament".

Hon. Mensah was detained by Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) for allegedly inciting Nima Youth to demonstrate against the Police and the government for the death of their colleagues during the Premiere league match between Hearts and Kotoko which resulted in the death of at least 126 soccer fans.

At a press conference addressed by the Minority Leader and MP for Nadowli North, Alban Bagbin, the party calls on the government to apologize for the "arbitrary arrest" of Mr. Mensah, who is also the Minority Spokesman on Youth and Sports.

The NDC also calls for the immediate release of all others being detained in connection with the matter.

"We find the statement of the Hon. Minister for Interior, Alhaji Malik Yakubu an insult to the intelligence of Ghanaians. To claim that someone was overhead telling Hon. E.T. Mensah that "the plan has worked" as the basis for the suspicion and subsequent detention creates a very frightening scenario for human rights in this country", Bagbin said. He added that the accusation of incitement is an insult to the intelligence of the good people of Nima, a suburb of Accra who were expressing their indignation at the needless death of their friends and relations.

The Minority leader noted that even if it were proved that hon. Mensah asked the Nima youth to demonstrate their anger at the death of their colleagues, his arrest would still be unjustified. "After all, the present Attorney General and other high ranking members of the NPP led their supporters on rampage on several occasions from the Radio Eye demonstration to the "Kumepreko" marches. They were not arrested for inciting demonstration."

The NDC denied that there was no occasion in its history where there was such a complete disrespect for MPs, adding in all respected democracies, Members of Parliament are accorded the highest immunity and privileges to enable them uphold and defend the principles of Parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and constitutional governance.

Bagbin, a practicing lawyer, therefore described the detention as "an affront to the dignity of Parliament in contravention of Articles 117, 118 and 122 of the 1992 Constitution."

The Minority Group which has often complained of acts of harassment and intimidation from the government views the detention of its leading member as another clear example of what it calls a well rehearsed plan of political "harassment and intimidation."

Bagbin with a lot of support from colleagues in the Minority said the institution of Parliament is in serious threat and it is important that the group registers its abhorrence of arbitrary exercise of executive powers.

Asked whether the action of the BNI was not within the confines of the law, the Minority leader answered in the affirmative saying "they are acting on instructions and their conscience are not clear".

Meanwhile some members of the Majority have expressed disappointment about the action of the Minority and said they will engage them in consultations in order to find a solution to the matter.

Meanwhile, the youth wing of the minority National Democratic Congress has warned the New Patriotic Party to desist from harassing its officials with arrests and detentions otherwise it will have to advise itself.

According to the NDC deputy national youth organizer, Frances Asiam, in line with provisions of the constitutional provisions for parliamentary immunity for sitting members of parliament, the security agencies had erred in arresting Mr. E.T. Mensah without any charges or shred of evidence. She added that since losing power in December, members of the Party have been adhering to the call of the former President, Mr. Rawlings, for support and cooperation with the new government in order to make Ghana an exemplary democracy. She therefore said that with these arrests and harassment, the NPP government is stretching its luck too far. "They should not take our cooperation for granted since in Africa it is very easy to rake up conflicts.

The government should rather concentrate on the countries economic problems and leave the NDC in absolute peace. The entire party would rise up if they continue to push us against the wall for too long. It is politics and we are prepared to cooperate with them. But if they do not corporate with us and behave like a responsible government, then they should not blame us for any trouble since we refuse to be intimidated," she added.